The Little Sparrow's Tale
by LazyKenobi
Summary: How far will Jack and Lizzie go to save their kids after breaking apart many years ago? That's the question the kids have always wondred, now with them being shanghaied by Barbossa, all family matters need to be put aside in order to survive.
1. Chapter 1: Letters of Parting

**The Little Sparrow's Tale**

Summary: How far will Jack and Lizzie go to save their kids after breaking apart many years ago? That's the question the kids have alway wondred, now with them being shanhied by barbossa all family matters need to be put aside in order to survie.

Disclaimer: Neither one of us own Pirates of the Caribbean

Authors Note: This is a joint story between Too Lazy and DataKenobi05. We're really excited about doing this story and it's been in the works for a while now. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter One- The Decision**

"So what now Jack Sparrow are we to be two immortals locked together in an epic battle until judgment day and trumpets sound humph?" The little girl of twelve years asked from the ground as she held her cutlass by her side and shifted comfortably in the four times too large coat she was wearing.

"Or you could surrender." The boy of thirteen offered up with a slight bow.

The girl sprung up from the grassy ground and launched an assault on the boy with great skill and precision, but the boy was better. He knocked the sword from his sister's hand.

She pouted.

"No fair that's not how the story goes!" She put her hands on her hips imitating what her mother does when she is peeved.

"Pirate." The boy said, matter of fact and then wrestles his little sister who despite being young and smaller is very quick just like their father and gets away easily.

"My goodness Ace and Amberly, it's getting cold and dinner is ready." Governor Swann called from the back porch. He loved his grandchildren, but if only they wouldn't play with real cutlasses he could rest easier.

"But, grandfather we were getting to the best part." Amberly whined half-heartedly taking off the large black coat that her grandfather was now going to have to have washed.

"Where I shoot you?" Ace interjects taking the cutlass from his sister and placing in its scabbard.

"No silly where we fight again and then you shoot me to save mum." Amberly explains as they enter the kitchen. Ace shakes his head, his sister is such an odd romantic.

The cook affectionately known to the children as Aunt Lou was already setting down the roasted pork, mash potatoes, and biscuits.

"You younguns' ain't getting nothin' till ya's wash." Aunt Lou said without looking at the children who were attempting to sit down and serve themselves.

"Aunt Lou darlin' how about we skip the wash and..." Aunt Lou turned to Amberly with a look of a tyrant about to go on a rampage and Amberly promptly became quite.

"None of that now young Missy Sparrow, you and yar brother go get washed up or no supper." Aunt Lou dictated and Ace being older, wiser and more like his mother who picked her battles carefully, put a placating hand on his sister's shoulder, Amberly pouted.

"Okay Aunt Lou, but all you're doing is getting us ready to get dirty again." Amberly said before they head upstairs to wash up.

When they return their plates are fixed and Governor Swann is waiting for them.

"One thing I do love about visiting grandfather, besides visiting grandfather, is the yummy food." Amberly said her mouth full of potatoes.

"Amberly dear, no talking while food is still in the process of being eaten." Governor Swann instructs. Even though his granddaughter is the daughter of pirates she is still a lady or is going to be if he has any say in the matter.

"Sorry grandfather." Amberly bashfully answered after swallowing her food.

Ace sits oddly still and quiet only his fork is kicking at the potatoes with little enthusiasm, his sister picks up on his mood immediately.

"What's wrong Ace?" She asked and reached over the table for a bread roll but with the look her grandfather is giving her thinks better of it.

A pounding of the front door destroys the peace of the dinging room and Ace jumps up having a feeling this event is what has been brothering him and runs to the front door. Amberly jumped up forgetting again to excuse herself from the table and their grandfather follows too.

The servant has just shut the front door and is standing with letter on a golden tray when he notices the children.

"A message for you two." The servant pulls two envelopes of aged parchment from the tray and hands them to Ace and walks off to meet Governor Swann where he receives the third letter.

"One is from mum the other is from dad." Ace informs his little sister who is standing next to him, he shows her the letters.

Both letters are addressed to _Ace Lucas Sparrow_ and _Amberly Elita Sparrow_. But each was in a different handwriting.

Ace handed the one from their father to Amberly to hold on to as he opened the one from their mother.

"They've only been gone a fortnight, they usually send us letters a few months after reaching a new port, the closest port at this rate would be Tortuga." Amberly concluded thoughtfully hold the letter to her chest as she tries to scan the letter Ace is holding.

"I know that's what concerns me." Ace said before the contents of his mother letter hit him full force but he makes himself read them to his sister anyway.

_Darlings,_

_I hope you are well and not driving your grandfather mad._

_I love you both so much and that is why writing hurts so much but I see no other alternative._

_Your father and I have decided to part ways._

Ace notices two droplets and has a foreboding feeling in his stomach as he reads on.

_Our parting has nothing to do with you and know that we both love you._

_Your father and I thought it best to let you decide who you would stay with as your happiness should not be altered. Know that we will not be hurt by your choice as visits to your grandfather will reunite us periodically._

_We both love you and I wish when you are older you will understand why we had you two choose._

_I am sorry darlings,_

_Love Mum_

Ace folds the letter up and faces his sister who is no longer at his side but sitting on the steps of the stairs crying. He goes to her and pulls her into a hug.

"Amberly we'll be alright, stop crying...if you cry then you'll smear dad's note then we can't read it." Ace counsels but his sister sobs softly into his chest. He takes the letter from her and she lets him go to read it, Ace sits by her.

_My boy and little pirate lass,_

_I take it you read your mum's note first and now of the split eh? Well no use going over old news._

_I just wanted to write to tell ye two that your choice of who and where you stay is fine as there will never be hard feelings. Also you mum and I have no hard feelings between us it's just times grown-ups grow apart._

_I'll see you two soon,_

_My best,_

_Dad._

Amberly cries harder and Governor Swann has just emerged from the dining room having just read the letter hat was from his daughter and held Amberly as she cried. Ace stood strong and placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.

That night Ace sat in front of the dying ambers of the front fireplace.

He knows nothing he or his sister can do can make their parents stay together, their parents pride would never allow it and making them do anything is impossible, but he will do what he can to make things livable, he just hopes Amberly will understand.

* * *

"It's stupid!" Amberly shouted despite the fact Ace and Governor Swann are sitting right in front of her.

"Amberly, language please." Governor Swann reprimands taking a sip of his tea.

Amberly ignored him and continued her rant. "Why should we make things easy for them when they clearly won't make things easy for us?"

"I think Ace's plan is a splendid one it will certainly cut down on the conflict." Governor Swann said tentatively as he does not want to get Amberly more upset then she is.

"Amberly we'll still see each other." Ace offered kindly, Amberly turns on him her dark brown eyes ablaze with fury that can match their mother's.

"When Ace? When mum decided to drop by or when dad fancies a two day break?" She snaps, getting up from her chair she stomps out of the dining room and makes sure to slam each door as she leaves the house.

"She took it well." Governor Swann said reflectively and Ace gets up from his chair in search of his sister.

She was in the back yard lying under a mango tree hands behind her head staring up the braches, it was her favorite place to be. At her bother's approach she turns her head to him but makes no move to get up. "Do you promise that we will still see each other at least once a year?" She asked.

Ace shrugs and takes a seat next to her and starts picking at the grass. "I'll try but I can't promise that, but I can promise this," Amberly sits up and give her full attention to her older brother. "I will write everyday and when I get to a port I will mail all that I wrote to grandfather where if I am not here you can still know how I'm doing. And you can do the same."

Amberly considers his words and strokes her chin, Ace thinks she looks like dad when she does that. "Well then your plan is the best option, but, who do we go with? We both love mum and dad?" she asked leaning her head on his shoulder and he leans his head on hers.

"Well, I figured that you go with dad as you can keep him in line with your whining and pouting."

"I don't whine!"

Ace continued on, "Also your sense of finding treasure should come in handy to keep the crew from killing him. And I'll go with mum to keep her out of trouble." Amberly laughs at the last part.

"I know, a lot of good that will do." Ace laughed to.

When their parents arrive in the middle of the night two days later they go into separate rooms and do not speak or look at each other. The tension in the house was thick and made it hard to breathe.

Amberly goes into her mother's old room to say good bye. It is a tearful farewell with a lot of hugging, but they each promise to see each other again and to write. In the kitchen a similar goodbye is taking place between father and son only no tears are shed and no hugs are given. They do shake hands and Ace requests that his father takes care of Amberly. Jack could only be amazed at how grown up his son seemed.

In the kitchen brother and sister say good-bye to. "I'll miss you big brother." Amberly said softly, giving her brother a tight hug. "Remember our promise." She let her brother go and ran to her father who is waiting by the back door; Jack had just been giving a talking to by the Governor and was more then ready to leave.

Upon seeing his daughter Jack bent down to her height and couldn't help but notice Amberly was her mother reborn, with only his dark brown hair and deep brown eyes.

"Ready to set sail darlin'?" Jack was smiling but his eyes were empty. Amberly threw her arms around Jack which surprised him but he picked her up and with his unsteady grate began the walk to the docks which was a far distance from the St. Paul district of Port Royal.

In the row boat Amberly had gathered her courage to ask her father a single question.

"Daddy do you still love mum?" Jack continued to row and pretended not to hear his daughter. "I still love you daddy." And the rest of the trip was in silence.

That night Ace did not sleep, and when morning came he quickly dressed and ran downstairs thinking to find his mother (in a tailor made dress) and grandfather eating. His mother was not there. He went to her room and knocked on the door.

"Yes." Elizabeth called out and Ace entered and his mother was staring out to sea she looked tired and her eyes were puffy. He shut the door behind him.

"You miss Amberly." Ace stated before taking a seat on the unmade bed he glaced at her pillow; it was stained with tears.

"Very much." Elizabeth answered her gaze turning to her son who had crossed over to his mother.

"Do you miss dad?" He asked and Elizabeth stood silent. In that moment she could not help but marvel on how much her son looked like his father. Elizabeth knew when he came into manhood the only trait that would separate him from his father would be his honey colored hair. He was going to be quite the lady killer.

"Mum?" Ace questioned and Elizabeth shook herself from her musing.

"Ace, sweety how would you like to comadeer a ship?" Elizabeth asked she smiled a small smile and Ace was both sad and happy for his mother. She did not want to talk about his father and that was fine, he could wait just as he could wait to see his little sister again and until then he would help his mother in her grief.

Ace grinned in a way that you could only surmise who his father was, "Aye mum, sounds fun."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2: Thinking back

The Little Sparrow's Tale

By Too Lazy and Datakenobi05

Disclaimer: Too Lazy cries herself to sleep over the fact she does not own it. Datakenobi05 pats my back while I cry because she does not own it either.

Thank you for the wonderful reviews and o the sixty-one of you who read but did not review.

* * *

Amberly stood on deck in the fair weather looking over the railing searching for dolphins that would normally race playfully with the _Pearl, _there were none as if they to knew something about the ship was different and Amberly had to admit there was.

It had been different on the _Pearl_ ever since she arrived with her father a little over a week ago. Ana-Maria was the first mate now, Mr. Gibbs reframed from telling her stories of the ways of the sea and the creatures that thrived in its depths, he sometimes looked at her with something akin to pity but Amberly played it off to her imagination. Her father mostly stayed in his cabin, plotting a course Amberly was sure was far away from Port Royal and all his problems. She knew he was running from his problems because if it had been the Royal Navy they would have pulled into a pirate port and laid low for a time and if he was in a treasure hunting mood he would be begging her to locate some for him.

"Enjoying the view there young Amberly?" A gruff voice called to her startling Amberly from her thoughts, she was happy for the interruption.

She turned her head to meet the older man's stare. "Aye, Mr. Gibbs. It's beautiful."

"Had your mother ever told ye the story of the very first time she had ever seen the _Black Pearl_?"

_Finally! _Amberly thought relieved. Her mother hadn't been mentioned at all since the first night she was aboard. The only mentioned words of her mother she had eavesdropped while walking to her father's cabin with his dinner; she had overheard Gibbs talking with Ana-Maria.

_"I can't believe Miss Swann stayed a shore. Figured they would work it all out when they saw their kiddies." Gibbs had said, shaking his head in disappointment._

_"You knew there was nothing left for her here, at least not ever since she started staying on deck in the nights."_

Realizing Gibbs was waiting for her answer she shook her head. "No, I don't think so." And promptly sat and the wet deck floor Indian style giving her full attention to the old pirate.

"Well," Gibbs began once he took a seat on an unturned bucket, "she was just a small lass, a few years younger then yerself. I was on the Interceptor with her, yer grandaddy, and a fellow by the name of James Norrington. She would sing her pirate songs, the ones her own mother teached her. Awful bad luck. Soon the ship came upon wreckage, and there in the distance was the _Black Pearl._ I had seen the look of horror in her young eyes." He stopped and chuckled. "I think that's when she realized that pirates were real."

Amberly smiled, trying to picture her mother as a young girl afraid of pirates. "Was my daddy on it?"

"Hard to say little miss. I figure that was around the time he was mutinied upon."

Her eyes lit up at this. "Barbossa." He was her favorite villain of all the stories she had been told.

"Aye, the scallywag himself." Gibbs said one eye bulging the other squinting to make his face into a look of terror as to add effect to the story as always it worked.

"Mr. Gibbs."

Both Amberly and Gibbs stood from their positions and turned around. "Aye Captain?"

"Take the wheel; keep her steady and on course." Jack ordered to Gibbs who nodded and left. Jack then looked at Amberly and gave her a weak smile. Amberly smiled back at least he was out of the cabin for more then an hour.

Jack didn't say anything to her as he went to the side and rested his arms on the rail. She gave him a sideways look not knowing how to start a conversation about their family issues she decided a request would be a best bet. "Daddy, I want to go swimming."

"When we get to the next port you can darlin'. As long as someone's with you." Jack said solemnly because now he had to figure out who was best suited to keep an eye on her when he was not around.

"When Ace and I are with Grandfather we go swimming by ourselves." She said softly and lowered her eyes to the water.

"Ah yes, but your brother was with you." Jack said and turned his body towards his darling daughter. She was so young and he hated to part her and her brother. He had been hoping whatever they chose it would be together. "Do you miss him terribly?"

She nodded and angrily wiped her tears away from her eyes before they had a chance to fall. She was homesick, but for what or who she wasn't sure. Her home had always been the _Black Pearl_ but now it seemed strange to her. Remembering her promise with Ace she wanted to be brave and lifted her head no sign of crying evident.

The strong hand of her father rested on her shoulder before giving it a small squeeze and walking off. Jack Sparrow was good at many things but words when it came to ones inner feeling he was never really good at figuring out. Amberly knew this and accepted his gesture as a way of saying _I love you and am sorry for this love_.

Amberly watched him as he left, she knew he loved her and her brother and as she looked back into the water she remembered the scariest moment of her life.

_"Lower the sails! She can't take much more! We're going to have to wait it out!" Jack yelled over the wail of the storm. He caught sight of Elizabeth as she helped Gibbs and the rest of the crew. _

_Soon his heart fell to his feet. What in God's name were his children doing?_

_"Ana! Taker her and keep her steady!" He yelled at the female pirate on his left and he ran down the stairs to the deck of the ship where his eight year old son and seven year old daughter stood. Ace had decided to help the crew not listing to his mother's order to stay in the cabin, Amberly followed her brother because she did not want him to get hurt._

_"ACE! AMBERLY!" Jack screamed at his children as they went to the side of the ship to avoid getting in the way of some of the crew members and to hold the rail for balance._

_Just then a violent wave crashed into the side of the _Pearl_ and Ace lost his footing, falling over the side. Amberly screamed and was about to jump after him but her father's strong arms wrapped around her waist before she was handed to her mother. _

_"Keep her safe." He said and jumped into the water after his son._

_Amberly had watched in stunned horror from the deck of the ship as her father disappeared along with her brother in the harsh waves below. Her mother had pulled her away from the side and took her to their cabin before locking her in the room and going back to the deck to look for her son and his father._

_The young girl had been so scared she cried and screamed at the door. She didn't know if her brother and father would be alright or not. Getting on her parents bed she covered herself in the large soft blanket and cried until she fell asleep the pounding of the storm or the motions of the waves did not bother her._

_"Here, cover him up Jack. There's nothing else we can do until we get to port."_

_Amberly awoke at the sound of her mother's soft but at the moment stern voice. She pretended to be asleep as to hear the conversation. _

_"I know darling, but he will most likely be fine by tomorrow. Why don't you put him in bed with Amberly and I'll go back on deck to take care of any damages." Jack said tiredly, Amberly had no idea how they rescued Ace and her father but she was going to ask Gibbs first thing in the morning. _

_She opened her eyes a little, so as to watch the exchange between her parents. _

_"You lay down with them Jack. I can handle things on deck." Elizabeth said helping Jack out of his wet shirt and went to get him another one. The rain had stopped and the storm was dissipated it would be clear sailing for a while at least. _

_"I'm alright love." He said and Amberly watched with interest as her mother started to cry softly. It was the first time she had ever seen her mother cry in front of her father. _

_"I was so scared Jack." She sobbed, being pulled into Jack's strong arms. _

_"I know love, so was I." _

_Amberly's eyes widened at her father's proclamation. Her father wasn't scared of anything. How could anything make him afraid?_

_Elizabeth looked up into his eyes and kissed him hard on the lips. "What would I have done if I lost either of you?" She asked, wiping away her tears and hugging Jack's neck, his arms around her waist. _

_He was silent as he pulled away from her and put on his shirt. Giving her another kiss he left the room._

Sighing Amberly left the side of the ship and looked up into the clear blue sky. Everything would be okay in the end, she was sure of it. Her mum and dad would realize they still loved each other and she would be with her brother again. Looking around for her father she saw him at the helm with Ana-Maria. Wanting to see if her father would let her steer the _Pearl_ for a bit she started for him, then her world fell apart all over again, stopping dead in her tracks as Ana-Maria got close to Jack and said something in his ear. Jack smiled and looked in her eyes.

Amberly was not sure if she wanted to cry or yell at them. So she compromised she ran passed them and slammed the cabin doors shut behind her. In her letter to her brother she did not mention anything of her father or Ana-Maria to him.

Later that night as she was mending clothes for the crew as well as making some (her grandfather was so happy when she told him she loved to sew,) she refused to eat dinner with her father and ignored him for a week straight she would only talk to him through Gibbs.

Jack was lost on the whole situation and figured it best not to worry about it. If only he knew better.

* * *

The skies had promised rain but Ace wasn't expecting the storm they were now in. Unlike his father his sense of feeling a storm was still in development.

He and his mother had commandeered a smaller ship a little over a week ago and had named it _Freedom_, after his mother's dream. What Ace did not know is that it was something his father had taught his mother.

The two of them were able to sail it without any big problems and how his mother managed that was a mystery to him. They sailed right to Tortuga and once docked there they went in search of a crew.

As soon as they had stepped in the city Ace walked close to his mother, glaring at any man who looked at her. Not that would make much difference but still better then nothing. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was secretly looking for his father or any of the crew he had come to know as family. He never found anyone. And three days later after a crew had been sworn in under the articles and the _Freedom_ fully restocked with all the previsions she would need they set sailed to Singapore. That had been about a week ago.

From the deep gray clouds heavy with rain, thunder rumbled and the noise brought Ace out of his musings. Ace felt the first rock of the ship beneath his feet. It was going to be one hell of a storm.

"Lower the sails!"

His head snapped up to look at his mother who was at the helm. Scanning the crew he saw how they listened and obeyed her orders. The ship lurched again but Ace kept his footing despite the rocking and the heavy rain fall.

"Ace, come here!" Elizabeth yelled over the roaring sea.

Going to his mother quickly he waited for her instructions.

"What is it mother?" he asked, he was ready at any command she could give him except the one she gave him.

"Go down below and wait in the cabin until this passes over." She ordered as if he were just another member of her crew.

Ace shook his head stubbornly. "No! I won't leave you out here alone!"

Elizabeth's face was set as she looked at her son whose hair got darker as it was soaked with rain. Jack seemed to be looking at her, a small pain shot through her heart but she pushed it away, Ace's his stubborn gaze was challenging her and she would not back down. "Go now! You know what happened last time!"

"I'm not a child any more!" He yelled back knowing why she wanted him off the deck. "That was an accident."

Lightning struck in the water. "You're my child! Get below now!"

Ace glared at her but knew his mother would not falter to him. Feeling the rain cold at his back he went down to the cabin he shared with his mother and sat at the desk, not bothering to dry off, thinking about that day that was forever etched into his mind.

_"ACE! AMBERLY!"_

_The young boy of Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann barely heard his father calling in the distance but his father's second scream made him turn around and see his little sister right behind him. Before he could take her back to the cabin and place her in safety, a wave crashed onto the side of the ship and he fell over board, he screamed until he hit the water and the salty taste of the ocean filled his mouth. He looked up through the water and saw the flashes of lightning in the sky above. _

_Then he saw a shadow coming closer to him. Arms encircled him and his father and him emerged from the sea._

_"Dad." Ace asked while he had time to another wave hit them._

_"Hang on to me Ace, I got you." Jack said when they had resurfaced._

_Ace shut his eyes hard against the sea and the rain holding tightly to his father. Water was getting in his ears and he shivered._

_"Take a breath; we're going to go under. Don't let go." Jack said in his son's ear. Ace nodded in understanding and did as he was told as a wave washed over them._

_When they were able to breathe again Ace saw that they were a few feet further away from the Pearl then they had been before. "Dad what are we going to do?"_

_"Hang on."_

_The only thing on Jack's mind was getting his son to safety. Using all his strength he swam to the ship where a rope was waiting for them. "Ace, you're going to have to hang on to me now, I have to hold on to the rope."_

_"Okay."_

_Jack could see his son was getting weak. Worry etched on his face Jack took the rope and pulled on it, him and Ace landing hard on the deck._

_As soon as he let go of his father's neck he was scooped up by his mother who pulled him to her chest and kissed his head muttering how much she loved him over and over again. The last thing he remembered was getting handed into his father's arms and feeling of safety with in those strong arms and the warmth of the kiss his mother had placed on his cheek. _

Thinking back on that night Ace took out a pencil and a piece of paper to write to Amberly. He was amazed at how a tragedy or near disaster was one of the few things that could bring a family closer together. Maybe it might be helpful in the future but he was not sure how.


	3. Chapter 3: Tia Dalma and David

_**The Little Sparrow's Tale**_

_**By Too Lazy & Datakenobi05 AKA LazyKenobi**_

_**Disclamer: If we owned, well, we would have tweaked things a bit and had Jack be covered in Chocolate!**_

* * *

Amberly sat on deck near the wheel of the _Pearl_ enjoying the warm weather and breeze, she was currently sewing some pants for Marty out of old canvas. It was her one girly joy in life other then boys, which none of the crew here applied to. 

Her father and she had begun talking again but only few words, she would not tell him what was bothering her and he would not ask so they were in a stalemate.

_Stupid Ana-Maria _Amberly thought sourly and with her sour thought she failed to pay attention to the needle and jammed it into her thumb.

"Ouch!" She yipped and stuck her thumb in her mouth. She pulled it out and examined the appendage; no blood.

"Losin' your touch there, my pirate lass?" Jack said as he stood on the top step of the helm. He approached her with swaggering steps a rum bottle in one hand. "Best be careful." He went to take a look at her hand but she scooted away from him and went back to her work.

"Alright then, you are mad about not having you brother," Jack did not finish his sentence because his daughter looked at him with something akin to anger but then, his Amberly never got mad at him.

Until now.

"Ace has nothing to do with the problem daddy, he's not even here!" She screeched throwing down her needle work and running to the cabin. Jack tried to protest that she should not go inside the cabin as he followed his daughter but he was too late. She stood there, doors wide open staring not in anger or indifference just staring as if it was something new and not understood.

Ana-Maria undressed, with only the sheet covering, her sleeping soundly and contented.

"Daddy." Amberly said not taking her eyes off the sleeping Ana-Maria, her voice was calm.

"Um, yes, my little pirate lass?" Jack said weakly, his daughter was the only one who could make him feel weak and confused and all and all out of ideas.

"I want to see Tia Dalma." She stated and after a beat tore her eyes from Ana-Maria's resting form and turned to her father.

* * *

"_Tia Dalma is her name, a witch so powerful she can bring the dead back and see the future as if she lived it." Gibbs said his gruff voice adding to the affect of the story. _

"_She can tell you anything?" Ambrely asked as she sat at Gibbs' dirty boots listening to the tale with rapt attention._

"_Aye she can, but she expects something in return and sometimes it might be the flesh or your heart." He nodded gravely and Amberly shivered as gooseflesh arouse on her skin._

* * *

"No." Jack said shuddering at the thought of Tia Dalma, and then remembering he was the adult and he had no need to explain himself. 

"Daddy," She put her hands on her hips and looked at her father as if she was looking down on him instead of the other way around. "Take me to see Tia Dalma, and I will forget I ever saw _her _in bed and I won't be forced to burn her in a bathtub full of rum."

Jack normally would have said no but his daughter looked so much like her mother with her proud chin and confidant manner he had no trouble imagining his little girl making good on her promise or stealing his ship and going to see Tia Dalma herself.

"Ah Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called out shutting his cabin door and his daughter following him.

Sure enough Gibbs appeared hiding a rum bottle behind his back, "Aye Captain?"

"We have a need to go _up river." _Jack instructed and Gibbs paled.

"Say like a passing need or trifling fancy?" Gibbs asked hopefully a nervous smile gracing his lips.

"No, we have an _unyielding_ need." Amberly said from behind her father then moved past the two pirates, than stopping and turning to them both. "Father I would be grateful if you'd set the hammock up for me and do you want anything from the galley?" She asked sweetly, almost like nothing had changed for her in the last few weeks.

"Not at the moment darlin'." Jack answered with a nervous smile and fluttering gestures. Amberly nodded and smiled before skipping off to the galley.

"Mr. Gibbs?"

"Aye Captain?"

"Do us all a favor and reframe from telling my pirate lass anymore stories that involve such trips to Tia Dalma or anywhere else that could be hazardous to my health and sanity." Jack said curtly before swaggering off to steer his ship in the direction of Petaluma River.

* * *

Amberly was nervous as she sat next to her father. Like her, he gazed around nervously at the surrounding swamp as the row boats made the way up river. The swamp was humid and the natives watch with calculating gazes and smiles, fireflies buzzed around and various animals made noise but did not show them selves. Finally they arrived at the tree house of Tia Dalma. 

The wise witch had been waiting for them.

"Tia Dalma," She held up a hand at Jack, a silencing gesture which he acknowledged. Her gaze went to his daughter and Amberly found she could not move.

"You child, come wid' me." Tia Dalma held out her dingy hand, Amberly swallowed her nervousness and stood stepping on the platform and climbing the latter and took the witch's hand. Jack made to follow but Tia Dalma pushed Amberly inside and tuned to Jack, "You stay Jack, this be private." And she slammed the door in his face.

Amberly wanted her daddy. 

The place was full of things that both intrigued and repulsed the young girl, snake skins, venoms from hundreds of animals, eyeballs and treasure that she wanted and so much more. The house was cooler then the swamp and lighted quite well, it was comfy yet disturbing. Tia Dalma led Amberly to a table and sat her down before sitting across from her.

"You wish to know if Jack in love wid Ana, chosen ruler of jewels" Tia Dalma stated as she took her seat in tall back chair, she looked like a heathen queen to Amberly.

"Yes," Amberly answered amazed, but not understanding the second part of the sentence. "That and if I will ever see my brother and mother again."

Tia Dalma nodded and picking up crab claws from the table's aged surface, then dropped them back on the table. It looked like a random pattern to Amberly but Tia looked knowingly to Amberly after a minute.

"No, Jack don't love Ana but she be wid him till ya make her go...but you lack the strength now." Tia Dalma said, "When you get to the rising sun stay a while and learn." Tia Dalma sat back in her tall chair watching the girl intently.

"My family?" Amberly questioned eagerly; her fear of the woman leaving her. The witch shook her head.

"Be a long time for ya see them again." And Amberly bowed her head to hide the tears. She heard Tia Dalma get up from her chair and felt as the woman hugged her. It was not her mom but she felt a bit safer anyway. "I'll tell ye though, your ma still have him heart, as he hers."

Amberly looked up; sadness forgotten. "They do?" Amberly asked and Tia Dalma wiped the girl's tears away with a gentle touch.

"Aye but, it be your one protector who make them see..." She led the girl to the door a few moments later letting the information sink in, "The next time ye come I expect payment."

"I know, thank you Tia Dalma." She hugged her and Tia Dalma could hardly wait for the girl to grow up.

When she got back in the row boat her dad was pacing back and forth but fell back as Amberly hugged him tightly. She kissed his cheek.

"What was that for?" Jack asked a little confused.

"Being my daddy." She said brightly then smiled. Daddy I have a feeling that if we head north-east we might find a lot of shiny things."

"Oh goody." Jack said happily, whatever Tia Dalma told his daughter worked...the thing with Ana-Maria seemed like it never happen. Plus treasure was near as his daughter never led him a stray before.

* * *

They were legendary now. Soon they would be as legendary as the _Black Pearl_ herself and her miscreant crew. 

The crew of the _Freedom_ had pilfered six Spanish ships in four days, no casualties on either side.

Ace chalked it up to his mother's hard planning. She was rather brilliant like that.

In his letters to his sister he told her about each raid in detail or at least the two he was able to attend despite his mother's protest. He also saved for his sister some trinkets from the raids; a blanket of rich silk, a pendent and some rings (like their father she loved rings).

"What's your writing there son?" David asked. He was a tall man with light hair and bright eyes a strong build; he was a decent enough chap, after all his mother had taken him for a lover.

* * *

_They had just returned to Tortuga after returning from Singapore which had been almost a year voyage and had taken a room at _the Faithful Bride 

_Ace had just picked up the mail he had asked his grandfather to forward to him and did the letters pile up. Four of the letters very thick in size had been addressed to his mother. _

_Running up to the rooms above, he forgets to knock at his mother's door and just walks right in._

"_Mum...sorry." He shuts the door wishing he would have never walked in. She is in bed with another man. That is fine, but still the shock of it. He goes down stairs quickly not listening to his mother's calls. _

_He is sitting at a corner table reading his sister's letters trying to figure out if he should tell her about his mother's new bed mate. His mother drops into the seat next to him. _

_He looks at her but avoids her gaze. "Amberly sent you some letters..." he trailed off looking back to his own letter. His mother puts a hand on his._

"_Sweetie I am sorry." Elizabeth says softly Ace looks up comfortingly. _

"_Mum it's your life you can do what you want." He holds her hand. _

"_You're not mad?" Elizabeth asked so thankful her son is so wise beyond his years. _

"_Mum, I can't be mad if he makes you happy, I mean he has been kind to you." Ace Said and his mother pulls him into a very un-pirate like hug. Ace ignores the pain of missing his father, his mother is all he has right then. _

* * *

"Not your son David, so please don't call me that and I happen to be writing to my little sister." Ace said not looking up from his task at hand. 

"Sorry Ace." He said then takes a seat near him. Ace does nothing. He is not fond of David but then David has never done anything for Ace to hate him so Ace just ignores him the best he can.

"You know I may not be your dad but I do love your mum." David said and Ace looks up giving a cold grin.

"You and several other menlove her, you are just lucky she chose you to grace her bed." Ace gets up from his position on the deck floor and head to the helm to write in peace. He could only hope to see his father and sister soon.

It would be seven years before he would see his family again.


	4. Chapter 4: Unfinished and Married

_The Little Sparrow's Tale_

_By: Too Lazy and Datakenobi05_

_Disclaimer: If I owned I would be filiming right now. If Datakenobi05 owned it well not sure what she would be doing but along the same line, but we don't own it and sadly we never will._

* * *

Her hair was tied in a dark brown bun with two decorated sticks holding it in place, a gift from her last lover; her deep brown eyes outlined with a thin line of kohl scanned the ships ahead looking for one in particular. The wind rustles her silk blue kimono shirt and bangs that frame her face, she was a vision of beauty and god help any man or woman who try to keep her all too them selves. For she was a pirate and at eighteen she had left many men and some women weeping at the loss of her while she roamed free as Sparrows are know to do.

Finally her eyes alight as the ship she has been searching for comes into view and she smiles. It had been a year since she had seen the_ Black Pearl,_ had felt her rocking under her feet, the feel of the sea spray and wind across her skin. It was a welcomed sight. As soon as the ship docks she runs over to the gangplank and as soon as she feels the _Pearl_ beneath her feet she knows she is home.

Gibbs is the first to greet her. "My Miss Sparrow, look at the woman you have become!"

"Why thank you Mr. Gibbs, at least you can appreciate the view compared to the last man I was involved with." Amberly quips as she hugged the old pirate tightly. "It's so good to see you."

"Aye, you to lass, and your old man should be happy to see you too once he gets up that is." Gibbs said carefully. Ever since she had told her father to leave her in Japan for a year, despite the ban on all foreigners, he had been a bit distant. Not to mention the last talking the father and daughter had did not go very well.

"He should be over it by now. Besides he made you come back." Amberly said helpfully, from the bag she had brought with her, she pulled a new flask from it and handed to the grateful Gibbs. It was small like his last one but this made of silver with a dragon surrounding it. It was worth a pretty penny, not that she paid for it mind you. Gibbs nods his thank you.

"That he did, but he said it was because he needed you to find some shiny bits for us." Gibbs shrugged and Amberly laughed.

"That is Captain Jack Sparrow's way of saying 'I miss my daughter'." Amberly said mocking her father's deep voice and drunken swagger, it is not very convincing but makes them smile anyway. "By the way, if we head back home we should find some shiny bits as you put it." She kisses his cheek and strides past him and there on the deck sees her other two favorite pirates Pintel and Regetti playing _liars dice_. She jumps on in the middle of the game casing their cups to fall over.

"Hello boys!" She chirps happily and then springs forth a hug on both of them.

"Miss Amberly you're okay, Pintel said you'd be made into Geisha for sure!" Regetti said as she released her from the hug.

"Did he now?" Amberly turned to Pintel looking like a hawk going to slaughter the rabbit, he returned her predatory gaze with a nervous moldy smile.

"I only said it with the nicest of intentions Miss."

"Sure you did." She pulls out a glass eye for Regetti who upon seeing gets a bit weepy and a new dagger for Pintel. The dimwits had been her playmates when she had allowed (or whined until her father said yes) them to come back onboard her father's ship and considered them like untrustworthy family, besides she did get them into a lot of trouble.

"It's wonderful to see you two, but I must inform our Captain I am back." She gets up and leaves the two to argue on who got the better gift. On her way to the cabin she and Ana-Maria lock gazes. Ana-Maria is the first to look away and at the new katana strapped to Amberly's back. What Ana-Maria does not know is this katana was a gift from her sensei, who had taught Amberly all he knew within a year, and Amberly had learned what he taught her very well.

* * *

Amberly goes into the Cabin without knocking and sees her father in bed sleeping soundly; clutching a bottle of rum to his chest like a child does its favorite toy. She almost has heart not to wake him up. Almost.

She jumps on the bed causing her father to sit up abruptly and Amberly flops next to him on the bed.

"Hello daddy!" Before Jack can say anything she hugs him and he hugs her back. "Scared you didn't I daddy?"

"My pirate lass, you could never scare me, only make me misplace my equilibrium as it were, my god look how you've grown up in a year." He pulled back from his daughter and noticed she was her mother, same proud chin, perfect teeth, and long hair only darker and placed in a bun with two decorated sticks holding it in place and same fire in her spirit. Quite shocking it was at times. He was going to have to keep a close eye on any sea dogs that looked at his daughter, but her father was very late of that front just didn't know it.

"I have a gift for you." Amberly said going through the bag until she pulled out something green and oddly shaped. "I made it myself."

"Oh goody I love presents." Jack said with childish glee.

It was a Chinese lion carved of green jade, it was very well done. "I made it for your hair." And Amberly went through his hair trying to find some that was still braid-able which was quite a lot but she was looking for the best spot. She quickly braided the lion into his hair where it would rest against the bone already there. "Perfect." proclaimed Amberly with pride. Her father was old by years yet he did not look it and still acted like a man with a thirty years old strength and agility, and she wondered if she would age like he did when she was older.

"Thank you my darlin.'" Jack said then he was silent. He had thought long and hard about what to say to his daughter the night before but he had not come up with anything.

"Daddy, I did not mean to yell at you that night or say what I said, I just wanted to stay on my own and I know it was hard for you to let me go. So, let's just forget it ever happened and move forward or back to the Caribbean." Amberly said and in a moment she did what Jack could not do and cleared the air between her and him.

"Alright sounds like a plan." Jack got up from the bed and took his jacket off the hanger by the door and went to issue orders. However, as always Jack's plans never went the way he wanted him to.

"So you are back, and going to cause a scene like last time little girl." Ana-Maria called from the helm. This was the moment Amberly had trained for once she arrived in the land of the rising sun.

"Ana-Maria I am hardly little or a girl anymore I happen to be more of a woman then you for one and a bit taller for two. And I do believe it was you who stared the last scene between us, just like you are doing now." Amberly climbed up the helm steps lazily until she was on top she did not come any closer then that.

"Now ladies lets not have what happened last time,"

"Quite daddy, I'm speaking now." Amberly ordered but she did not look at her father who was at the bottom of the steps.

"Take off the blade kid and will fight." Ana-Maria said coldly. This was the fight she wanted to finish this time and she would no longer hold back just because Amberly was the younger or because of her father.

Amberly nodded and pulled the gleaming blade from its sheathe and placed it by her feet. She stepped around it and a little closer to Ana.

"Last I remember it was your turn, right Ana-Maria?" Amberly said but before Ana-Maria could answer Amberly flipped forward twice and delivered a drop kicked to the older woman's chin. "No it was my turn." Amberly answered as she dodged the punch Ana-Maria sent her way.

A small crowed of the crew had gathered at the commotion, Jack himself hiding behind a crate as he did not want to get involved like last time and cause another rift between him and his daughter, if he admitted it to himself it had almost killed him then (metaphorically of course).

* * *

"_Go to hell Ana-Maria it is you god damn fault that my mother left!" Amberly shouted vemomsely only a few of the crew remained on deck to watch the fight others had left for shore leave. _

"_Amberly, Ana had nothing to do with me and your mother!" Jack yelled just as loud, and he wished he didn't, but Amberly refused to listen to him at clam levels. _

"_Quite daddy this is between Miss Vargus and me!" She turned back to Ana-Maria who just rested against the mast looking at her coldly. _

"_Your mom couldn't keep a man like you father happy kid, get over it and get lost like you want to no one will care." Ana-Maria shrugged off-handedly as she used her blade to clean the tar from her brittle nails. _

"_I guess your right Miss Vargus no one will care if I left but you will care once I come back!" Amberly started to make for the gangplank with great haste, but her father pulled her back by her arm, trying to keep her on the ship, he had no idea how this got so out of hand but he did not want to see his little girl go. _

"_Let the little bitch go Jack be a damn sight better on this ship with out her." Ana-Maria said and Amberly snapped. Pulling from her father, she pulled her blade from her belt but Ana-Maria, who was a far better swordsman then her at this point, dodged the blade grabbed hold of Amberly's long hair and banged her head against the mast before Jack could stop it from happening. _

"_Ana what the hell are you doing!" Jack shouted as he went to cradle his daughter. She had a large gash on her head. _

"_She came at me captain it was self defense." And in fact it was and Jack could not argue with that fact, he turned his attention back to his daughter. Amberly stood up and wiped the blood from her head. _

"_Come back for me within a year Captain if you can, after all Miss Vargus just might persuade you not to." And Amberly ran off the last thing she heard was her father calling for her._

* * *

Amberly grabbed Ana-Maria's wrist and twisted it behind her back before kneeing her in the gut. Ana-Maria got back up, her hand going for her pistol but Amberly was standing next to her and from the bottom of the sheathe on her back pulled a hidden dagger out and had is positioned at Ana-Maria's slender neck.

"I want you off this ship by the time it is ready to set sail Miss Vargus. Fail to do so and I will kill you." Amberly said and pulled the blade away.

Ana-Maria wiped the blood off her nose and forehead. She smiled at Amberly warmly. "You are just like your mother kid, be proud."

Amberly gave Anna-Maria a slight nod of the head and left to the cabin picking up her katana as he did. She did not hear the conversation between Ana or her father but when she returned on deck Ana-Maria was gone.

* * *

Her father was steering his ship back in the direction of home that night and Amberly approached him with rum bottle in hand. She had been drinking since thirteen and it was something her and her father both enjoyed. She handed him the bottle after taking a sip. He took a long drink.

"I am sorry daddy. I hope you are not mad at me." Amberly took a seat by the wheel. Her father sat down using his back to hold the wheel in place. He passed her the bottle.

"No my pirate lass, in all honesty Ana-Maria was thinking on leaving anyway."

_Translation: you did what you had to no hard feelings my pirate lass. _

"Then I am glad I helped her on her way...so where to daddy?" Amberly cuddled close to her father to keep warm and he let her.

"Well, before I started back, I got a letter from your brother requesting to weigh anchor at Port Royal for something, said it was urgent." Jack said and smiled at his daughter who clapped her hands in gleeful surprise. She kissed her father's cheek. After a few more drinks of rum both inhabitations of the father and daughter loosen and here is where Jack Sparrow said something he shouldn't have. "You didn't have to beat Ana-Maria up though."

Amberly turned so fast that a slight wave of nausea hits her and calls forth a memory she thought she had long ago forgotten.

* * *

"_She needs a doctor Jack, a real one."_

_Amberly was awake but her head was splitting in two and her stomach was rejecting everything it was offered. _

_"She will be better off with Tia Dalma. She knows what to do in these kinds of situations. Helped me once she did. I've never got sick again. Now, would you rather Amberly get better then sick again or only be sick this time and never have to worry about it again?" Jack Snapped irritably, he had been up all night with his daughter trying to feed her and telling her stories as sleep was something his daughter could not do in her state._

_"We can take her to a doctor now and to Tia Dalma later. Jack she could die!" Elizabeth countered angrily._

_Amberly's heart lurched at this. Die? She didn't want to die! A faint pressure on her hand made her look down. Her big brother Ace was staring down at her with her deep brown eyes. He was there by her side like he said he always would be. _

_"I don't want to die Ace." Amberly whispered, her throat hurt from her hacking cough._

_Jack and Elizabeth looked to their daughter before opening the door of the cabin. Ana-Maria was there with some water for the sick girl. Jack looked at her and Ana looked back. Elizabeth pushed her way through the door and walked up the stairs to the deck. _

_While their parents were above them, Ace and Amberly heard them arguing, and it wasn't about Amberly's sickness anymore._

* * *

She sighed, remembering the incident and looked at her father in the eyes holding his gaze. "I think you were lying."

Jack glanced sideways at his daughter. "'Bout what darlin'?"

"Ana-Maria, not being the reason you and mom split up." A cynical smile played on her lips and she stood up.

This time Jack sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Why is this always an issue with you? Ana is gone thanks to you."

"Because daddy, it was our family! If she is the reason then I am sorry I did not do worse to her when I had the chance! She knew my mother loved you." She said slightly disgusted and slightly tearful at the same time. Damn the rum. She watched her father's dark eyes fall briefly. "Ana-Maria knew you loved her too."

"Love is a fickle thing." Jack offered as a way to explain his actions.

Amberly was getting angry. "Don't you dare tell me you felt the same way about that whore! Ana had no right to be with you. It could have been any other girl but her daddy. She watched Ace and I grow up, watched you and mom fall in love." Amberly took a sip of rum before continuing.

"Ana-Maria probably got jealous, wanted what she couldn't have. Then you let her! This is your fault!" Amberly said coming to a sudden epiphany.

"Your mother made it clear that it was over between us." Jack defended.

"Why? Because of you, were you too busy with Ana to take me to see a doctor?" Amberly said frostily, she was all but yelling at her father.

Jack looked confused at this. "What are you talking about?"

"When I was sick and you wanted to take me to Tia Dalma and mother wanted to take me to a real doctor. How did I get better?"

"We took you to see a doctor in Port Royal. You got better." Jack waved it off. He was not sure how the conversation got to this point but took the bottle from his daughter and took a swig, any other women in the world he could figure out but his daughter left him going in circles.

Amberly walked over to the stairs getting ready to leave but she had to know, and she had to make her father feel guilty if only for a moment. "Were you bedding Ana then? I remember the look on my mother's face when ever Ana was around. She knew didn't she!" Tears were falling down her face at this point. "Do you love _me_ daddy?"

Jack looked at his daughter's tear stained face and went soft. "Of course my pirate lass."

"How? I look like my mother, don't I remind you of her every time you look at me? Maybe you love me now but what about tomorrow?"

"I always will." He said calmly.

"Will what daddy? You can't even say it! I loved you when I was younger and I love you now but now I know why my mother left you. You never loved her!" Her sobs were threatening to overcome her. She had needed to get this out of her system for a while and if her father had not said anything about Ana-Maria she would have left this anger bottled up inside her heart and never thought about again. "Ace and I must mean so little to you. But I understand. _Love is a fickle thing._ Thank you, daddy for that lesson in life." Then she felt it. The feeling she got when treasure was near...

"Daddy head south west." Amberly said, dazed she headed to the railing, wiping at her tears. Jack stood and did as she instructed.

"You feel something darlin'?" Jack asked slightly concerned. His daughter only got the dazed look about her when the treasure she felt near was very worth the trouble getting it.

"Aye daddy I do and it is going to be one hell of a find." She only got a toothy grin in response all words previously spoken to one another forgotten. And they would always be, but Jack would do something to make sure his daughter knew that he did love her and her brother and her mother. He could never say the words but he would show them someday at the opportune moment.

It had been a merchant British ship British full of Chinese and Spanish goods. It had been one hell of a battle. Theses British did not give up till the very last man stood, literally. Several crates of silk, chocolate, rum, gold and silver had been loaded on to the _Pearl_. So much in fact that she was considerably low in the water and moving a bit slow ever for her. When they had taken the one survivor on board he elected to become a pirate realizing there was more money in it. Plus the girl pirate was really beautiful.

* * *

"I can hardly wait until you meet my sister, Victoria." Ace said, running a finger down his wife's cheek. "And my father, he'll love you. I hope."

"Oh Ace, I can't wait to meet him! Father has told all sorts of stories about him, even the first time he came to Port Royal." She smiled and looked down. "I'm sure you know all about it though."

Ace leaned back on the bed and pulled Victoria to his chest. "Aye, I know all about it. Of course the stories my dad used to tell were much nicer then the ones your father tells."

A few months ago Ace Lucas Sparrow and Victoria Lynette Norrington eloped, much to her father's disgust. Admiral James Norrington had chased the young pirate all around Port Royal when he learned of his daughter's marriage. In all honesty it had been a funny sight.

Ace had the sneaking suspicion it was because Norrington hated the fact another Sparrow had taken something from him. Ace had tried to make peace several times but each time was only chased out of town for a bit.

His own grandfather however, was excited, so much he had paid for the whole small wedding including a very nice home for his granddaughter-in-law, so that way she would not lose her reputation.

His only comment was at the expense of the elder Sparrow, saying how this marriage was a generation to late. Ace was quick to point out that if the wedding between the commodore and his mother took place he and his sister wouldn't be alive.

The Governor nodded and didn't continue.

His mother, Elizabeth was present as a witness along with David. David had tried to get the boy to open up to him but Ace kept his ground, no one was going to attempt to take his father's place in his life. His father had taught him how to fight and sail when he was younger, when he grew up his mother was the one who made sure he didn't get rusty. As Far as Ace was concerned Elizabeth Swann and Jack Sparrow were his parents.

"You must miss them terribly." Victoria said leaning her head on his chest Ace ran his nimble fingers through her red curls.

Ace closed his eyes, placing a small kiss on her forehead. "Who?"

"Your father and sister. It's been many years, hasn't it?"

He nodded, trying to remember what they looked like. "It has. I haven't seen them in seven years. My mother says I look just like my dad though. I remember Amberly growing up with mother's nose, chin, mouth. I think the only thing she got from my father was his eyes and hair, well, and his personality, which is not a good thing in the long run, she and father were always getting into trouble." A small smile came upon his lips as he thought of a time his sister and his father got stuck in prison by locking themselves in.

"A woman pirate, how strange. And I thought your mother was the only one." Victoria commented lightly.

"Not as strange as you think. There was a woman on the _Black Pearl_ along with my mother." He stopped as he remembered Amberly's letter about Ana-Maria and their father. It had arrived about year ago telling him of the affair Jack and Ana-Maria had been having since they had split.

"What was it like living on a pirate ship?" Victoria asked shaking Ace from his musing.

Ace shrugged. "It was home." Stopping any other conversation Ace kissed her.

* * *

The next day Victoria was hanging out the laundry when a man approached her from behind.

"Victoria?"

She screamed and dropped the bed sheet on the ground. Looking at the man she started laughing and clutched her chest. "Oh, David, you scared me."

"I'm sorry. Is Ace around?" David said scratching his beard.

They soon had their answer as Ace ran out of the house.

"Victoria!" Ace called when he reached the back yard and saw his mother's, _friend, _for lack of better term, he stopped and openly glared. "David. What can I do for you? And where is my mother?" David would have no reason to come about unless his mother is with him.

The older man looked down and fiddled with his hands. "That's what I'm here for. I don't know."

Victoria looked at her husband. She knew how protective he was of his mother and how much he disliked David. She stood a little closer to her husband knowing that her presence calmed him down, if it didn't her father would have been a lot worse off.

"What do you mean you don't know? You went with her to find Amberly didn't you? My sister specifically said she would be in Japan."

"When we got there the people said she had left on a ship, most likely your father's." David said looking at Ace.

The young Sparrow stood there waiting for the explanation why his mother wasn't there. "And? Where is my mother?"

"She disappeared." David blurted out.

"She disappeared? That's it? Out of thin air you mean? You turned around and she was gone? What the hell happened?" Ace questioned furiously, Victoria put a hand to his chest.

"I don't know." David answered regrettably.

Ace glared at David a while longer before turning and going into the house, he needed to get ready to leave. Getting dressed in his old comfortable pirate grab he returned outside, David was being counseled by Victoria. When she saw him she stopped him.

"You are not going with out me." She ordered.

"Yes I am you can't go with. This I not like," She put up her hand.

"I am going and if you say no I will tell my father about all the cargo you have stolen before our marriage." She was not kidding. Ace sighed and smiled just like his father. "Fine, go and get ready fast." She smiled in response and went to do just that. Victoria had been on two adventures when she and Ace had first met when they were children and once when they were sixteen, Ace had gotten her own pirate garb and pistol. Her father did not know of this and would kill Ace if he ever found out.

When Victoria left Ace turned to David. "Get the _Freedom_ ready were going to find my dad and sister then my mother." He did not tell David why, but David did as told, it was an unwritten rule that if Elizabeth was no where then Ace was in charge of crew and ship.


	5. Chapter 5: Soft Hearts & Bargining Chip

**The Little Sparrow's Tale**

**By Too Lazy and Datakenobi05**

**Disclamier: We want to own it with all of our hearts and souls but Disney said hell no.**

* * *

Amberly was stuck in the Cabin of the _Pearl_, currently tying the very expensive bed sheets into a rope. She honestly could not believe her father had ordered her to stay behind. It had been years since she had seen Toutuga and he wanted to keep her locked up.

"_What do you mean I can't go?" Ambely practically yelled as most of the crew left ship. Her father was pushing her into the cabin and although she could have resisted if she wanted to she hated to fight with her father. _

"_Because I can't keep an eye on you with so many dogs around here, I have business and I want a clear head to work with. Pintel, Regett, keep watch over her and do not let her out." He slammed the doors and when she tried to pull them open her father had bound the handles with irons. _

"_Daddy this is not fair!"_

She let the homemade rope fall from the open window and into the dirty, murky water below, she wished that people did not bathe, wash their clothes of relieve themselves in the ocean at times. She picked up her katana from the bed and strapped it on before using the rope to lower herself the nasty waters below.

"When I find daddy I am going to kill him." She mumbled as she quietly climbed up to the docks. Ambley pulled the sticks from her hair allowing it to fall in a dark waterfall. She took hold of it trying to wring out the excess water of her hair and then her clothes. She sniffed her arm and made a sour face. "Perfect..."

"Miss Swann!" an excited voice called out, very feminine. Amberly turned and was assaulted by a cute woman with strawberry hair and blue-green eyes she was a little shorter then Amberly herself, she was dressed in pirate garb but it was auspiciously clean, meaning this girl was not a real pirate.

"Um, excuse me miss, I know you seem to fancy me, but I don't think I know you, I mean I would have remembered if I had threatened you before." Amberly said through the vice grip of the woman, the woman let her go then gave Amberly a closer look-over before beaming once again.

"You're Amberly!" She cried enthusiastically before giving her another hug. Amberly, thoroughly confused by now pulled away.

"Yes I am but who are you?" Amberly asked and took a step away from the young woman. Before the woman could answer a smooth voiced called over and Amberly looked over Victoria and felt her eyes burn with seven years worth of tears.

"Her name is Victoria Sparrow, she's my wife." Ace said warmly as he approached, when he stood before Amberly he took off his tri-corn hat and allowed her honey shoulder long locks to show, his dark eyes looking into his sister's. "Hello Amberly."

"Ace." Ambely uttered softly before running into her brothers open arms and hugged him tighter then Victoria hugged her earlier. Ace put his arms around his sister as she started to sob he patted her hair. "I thought I never see you again!"

"Come on don't cry its not befitting a pirate as menacing as yourself." He forced his little sister to look at him and with his thumb brushed away her tears. Then Amberly wiped her eyes and turned to her sister in law.

"If you tell anyone about this," She pointed to her eyes and the kohl and tear tracks, "I will kill you. Oh and, welcome to the family, love." Amberly said regaining her composure of pirate she turned to her brother with a smirk. Victoria nodded warily a little uncertain if the threat was true or not.

"So, ah, hmm, what are you doing here and married no less, and why are you so clean," she looked passed him, "which ship is yours, oh where's mum I would love to see her!" Amberly gushed excitedly and Ace could not help but notice she is still very much the same little bratty sister that mimicked their father and his stories he had left behind seven years ago.

"Amberly Mum's missing where is dad?" Ace asked and Amberly immediately froze and her cheerful smile vanished.

"What do you mean she's gone you lost her?" Ace rolled his eyes and Amberly pulled Ace and his wife by the wrist back to the _Pearl_.

"No I did not lose her, she was last seen in Japan she went to get you." Ace explained. Pintel and Regetti jumped up in confusion.

"Miss Amberly how'd you," Amberly glared at Pintel.

"Later, right now open the cabin door!" Amberly ordered in her best Captain Voice and the two did as told. When the three were inside the cabin Pintel turned to Regetti.

"Should we lock them in?"

"Not sure?" Answered Regetti they decided to toss a coin for the answer.

Inside Amberly handed Victoria a wine glassed and poured some rum inside and took a gulp from the bottle her brother refused the drink altogether.

"Why weren't you with her?" Amberly asked as she placed the bottle on the table Victoria caught it before it fell off. "You said you would keep her out of trouble."

"I figured she was safe, I was wrong listen we need dad." Ace shot back a little insulted at his sisters tone.

"No we need the Compass that is why you are here right? Look Ace we will find her but I think it best you went home with your wife." Amberly took a swig of rum, this was not how she picture reuniting with her brother, but he was married for one and she would hate if his wife lost in him this adventure after all it seems (whether Ace himself realized it or not) that he started a new life one which did not include piracy or gallivanting after said pirates.

"That is the greeting I get after seven years...are you truly that cold hearted?" Ace asked keeping his tone calm, he rarely yelled at anyone.

"You might have received a warmer one had you kept your promise." Amberly retorted coldly, she began to pull back her hair. Victoria had enough and stood up.

"Now stop it, it was not Ace's fault that his mother went missing, and it is not his fault you never saw each other for over seven years."

"I know but still _someone_," Amberly points to Ace and he rolls his eyes in response, "should have kept a better watch on her, now she can be any where or worse dead, to which then she might be in hell unless she managed to bargain her way out of that one..." Amberly said with her hand now on her chin in thought, Ace figured if she would have had a beard she'd be tugging on it.

"Let's just find dad."

* * *

Captain Jack Sparrow was quite pleased with his persuasion in bargaining. He had really out done himself and was now relaxing in a local pub having pockets full of payment and the crew themselves happy with their cut. While flirting with the barmaid Jack failed to notice a man sitting on the other side of the pub give Jack a sideways glance before walking up to him and pulling his sword, placing it at Jack's neck. It was just one more day in the life of Jack Sparrow.

"I take it you're angered by something?" Jack asked casually so as not to make this drunken man suddenly move the blade in the wrong direction as he looked at the edge of the blade before catching the dark drunken eyes of the man before him.

"You know I am. You stole my rum, and my gold." The man said spitting droplets of saliva and rum.

Jack narrowed his eyes a bit, trying to place the man somewhere in his memory but to no avail. "I don't believe I've threatened you before." Jack said business like. "So if you'll excuse me." Jack made to turn away.

The man placed the sword a little closer to his neck. "I saw you."

Now definitely confused Jack stood pushing the man's hand away from his neck and the drunk let him because there were now three Jacks in his line of vision. Jack went to the door, weaving through the crowed of the busy establishment. In the distance he saw the high mast and sails of the _Pearl_ and not far from him, three people in a small group come from that direction. Wanting to get to his ship before anything else happened, he walked toward his ship, but stopped when one of the three caught his eye.

"Amberly! How on earth did you get out? Never mind, I'll deal with those two later." Jack snapped, his hand rubbing his closed eyes trying to prevent the headache he knew was coming. "What have I told you about walking Tortuga alone? There are enough,"

"She wasn't alone dad." The voice of the man standing next to Amberly said and the man took off his hat. Jack could swear he was looking into a mirror just then, only in the mirror he had smoother skin and light trinket-less tawny hair.

Jack's voice caught in his throat and he set his eyes on his son for the first time in seven years. He couldn't help but notice how much his son got his features. "Ah, that explains a lot." He said as a sort of greeting, remembering the man in the pub. Speaking of the devil, the drunk from the pub stumbled out and caught sight of Ace.

"You son of a bitch!" Ace looked around his father to see the man and grabbed his wife's small hand and the back of Amberly's shirt.

"Time to go." He said quickly and practically running the four went back to the docks.

When they were a good distance away they stopped to resume their conversation. Jack clapped his son on his back. "That's my boy."

Ace had the childish erg to hug his father but he knew Jack would simply shut himself off instead with no one to bother them he brought Victoria to rest in front of his father. "Dad, this is my wife Victoria."

Amberly waited for her father's reaction and it wasn't what she expected. (Of course she was expecting to ask Victoria to spend the night in his cabin.)

"Really? You have a wife? Since when? Well no matter hello darling." Jack said putting on the airs of an aristocrat, taking the former Miss Norrington's hand in his and kissing it, Victoria giggled as Jack braided chin tickled her hand. "You're a very nice young lady now aren't you?" When she nodded he wrinkled his nose a bit. "Mores the pity then I suppose. You look a bit familiar pet do I know you from some where?" He asked, noting a familiarity in her face especially her eyes.

"My father is Admiral James Norrington, Captain Sparrow." Victoria said a nervous smile over coming her. "He speaks quite highly of you Captain." Ace snickered what Victoria meant was James started cussing very loud obscenities and cursing Jack Sparrow to all levels of hell.

"James Norrington? That man! Guess he settled down after all, always was rooting for him you know. Oh well, he makes beautiful children." He looked to his son, "She's quite a looker boy best be careful not to let her go wandering off other men might think this treasure is theirs for the taking savvy?"

Ace smiled and the three followed Jack to the _Pearl_ without instruction.

When Ace first stepped on the _Pearl_ he was filled with a strange feeling of contentment. Looking around it was the same but the feeling was different he could remember when he was a child and never feeling this way until he had left. It was strange but he shook it off to follow his father who gave him a knowing look.

"What are you doing here with your wife my boy seems a strange thing to take her here for honeymoon."

His son stopped mid stride to the cabin, hoping something had changed in his father since he last saw him.

"It's mum. She's missing." No sense on lying or stalling that wasted time. Ace waited for the reaction.

Jack looked nonplused as he went to his cabin. "And you came here to get your sister for this adventure of yours?"

"We need a fast ship or faster then mum's at any rate, dad. Please." Ace said standing bit taller his hands behind his back to keep them from fidgeting. He hating begging but for his mother he would endure.

"No. There is no need for me to go looking for your mother when she is bound to turn up sooner or later." Jack said off-handedly looking for a rum bottle he desperately needed a drink.

Ace kept his patience, he knew coming into this that he was going to need a lot. "I would rather find my mum alive then dead."

Amberly spoke up and handed her father a bottle which he took with out his usual smile of thanks and immediately uncorked the bottle. She was sure her father always listened to her. "Daddy, it's not like you have to see her, just help us find her. What if she does die? She wants to see Ace and Victoria's children someday. I know she does." When she was getting no reaction from her father she got more desperate and put on her famous puppy eyes that could melt even the coldest hearts of the cruelest men. "I want to see her alive. I miss her! I haven't seen her in seven years! She's my mother!"

"Then you go find her." Jack said softly, not wanting to yell, he hardly yelled at his daughter, he was soft.

"We need your help dad." Ace said, grabbing Amberly's hand that was shaking.

Jack was silent and kept his gaze at the window looking nowhere.

"Fine Captain." Ace said after a moment, "David will help us. He's on the _Freedom_ anyway. Come on Amberly." Ace walked out followed by his sister and his wife, who curtsied before she left, saying she was happy to have met him and that she was sorry.

Jack sighed irritably. He wasn't stupid. He knew who David was, Amberly had pointed it out to him that her mother had a lover and was probably happier with him then he himself had ever made her. It was during one of their many fights they had, remarks to hurt each other.

When he looked up, the room was quite and empty. Jack thought he would be happy once he was alone again with nothing but the _Pearl_, sea and himself but instead he felt cold. Running up to the deck his family was already on the dock talking with someone who was most obviously David.

"Ace, Amberly." Jack called from the deck looking down on them with both pride and annoyance.

The younger Sparrow's looked up.

"When the crew returns, we'll head out to look for your mother."

Amberly smiled and ran up the plank and straight into her father's arms. "Oh thank you daddy, I knew you would help us." Amberly was the only one in the world who could hug Jack and he would not push her away.

"I wager you sea brats will be the death of me." Jack said jokingly running his fingers through his daughter's long hair. Ace smiled a true smile at his father.

"In the mean time, get the crew of the _Freedom_ over here as well as the supplies." Jack ordered and went to get his Compass; he had put it away after Elizabeth left.

* * *

The floor was cold underneath her and Elizabeth could hear voices that sounded far away.

"You brought the wrong woman!" the voice growled out, it sounded so familiar and made shiver run down Elizabeth's spine.

"But, captain she matches your description." A meek voice answered.

She started to panic. Had she been captured? Honestly, she couldn't remember what had happened.

_"David, stay here while I go look for Amberly." Elizabeth said after placing a quick kiss to her lover's chapped lips before jumping off the gangplank and running to the small building that her daughter had described in detail and with a beautiful drawing of the building her daughter had sent. Amerbly said her sensei like to drink there and she was often with him._

_Elizabeth was so happy to have arrived; it had been so long since she had seen her little girl. The letters mother and daughter had been sending over the years couldn't compare to seeing her in person, hugging her and kissing her rosy cheeks and hearing about all her adventures she had over the years apart._

_Half way to the building she felt a sharp pain in her neck and stopped so she could examine it. She pulled a funny looking dart with blue feathers running along the back. It was the last thing Elizabeth Swann saw as a wave of darkness consumed her._

Rubbing her neck as if the memory brought back the pain she opened her eyes.

"Look Captain. She's waken' up!"

Elizabeth opened her eyes more, trying to focus on anything.

"Well, _Miss Turner, _how nice to see you awake."

The voice was unmistakable now. The monkey perched on his shoulder cocked its head to the side and screeched.

"Barbossa, you bastard let me go!" She said loudly and went to stand but her head felt as if it was full of lead and she collapsed to the ground. Her gaze tried to refocus on Barbossa only now there were two, then one, whatever she had been shot with certainly had bad after effects.

"Now, now Elizabeth there would be no fun in that. Besides, I need something of yours." The evil pirate said, looking at her with squinted eyes.

"What would that be?" Elizabeth asked snidely she once again tried to stand added by the bars the made up her cell, she succeeded but her vision still swam.

He stood up and shooed the other man away. "Like all men I am vexed to find a woman. Her name is Amberly I believe your beloved little daughter."

Elizabeth's blood started to boil. What on earth could a loathsome cockroach like Barbossa want with her daughter?

"You stay the hell away from her Barbossa, what ever you want you do to me not her!" Elizabeth grounded out between clenched teeth; she wished she could run him trough with a blade so much that it hurt. He chuckled at her in response.

"No miss Turner as much as you fancy yourself, you are nothing of value to me now except as a bartering chip, I need little Amberly's help. She needs to be my compass, so to speak. Now, you and I are both strong willed, smart people Miss Turner"

"Captain Swann." Elizabeth interrupted coldly.

"Very well Captain Swann, I thought to come here to pick up the girl myself, but it seems as though Jack got to her first. After that idiot of mine returned here with you instead I decided not to go after the _Pearl_ but waited until I had your opinion on what I might do to entice your daughter to come with me willingly." He finished with a little shrugged and Jack the monkey smiled at her.

_He couldn't be serious_. There was no way she was going to help him capture her own daughter. "What are you getting at?"

"Oh I think you know it's very simple Captain. I want your daughter and you want her alive and well. I think we can come to an agreement."

She sighed irritably. "What do you want?"

"There are many things I want Captain Swann, however if I were to choose it would be your daughter and Jack dead. I'm tired of him getting in the way and he just takes up precious space in the sea. I fail to see his significance in my life or anyone else's." Barbossa said calmly but a sinister smile spread across his face.

Elizabeth was on her guard yet again. There was no way in Heaven or Hell that he was going to get her daughter, but Jack, she couldn't hand him over either.

"He's important to his children. They love him." S_o do I. _

"Aye, its true Captain Swann, I know that your children would do anything for him and for you so in the end, it is best if you corporate as I hate to break their spirits by killing ye."

"If you thinking threatening to kill me or Jack is going to persuade either of them to do what you want think again." Elizabeth's words sounded sure, but she knew she was bluffing and she knew Barbossa would see through her lie.

"_Miss_ Swann, the kiddies carry the blood of Jack and you, it is very guaranteed that they are to be twice as daft. Welcome back aboard Miss Swann." With that he walked away from Elizabeth to the deck. Elizabeth collapsed; she had no idea what to do.


	6. Chapter 6: Of the Past and Fickel Love

The Little Sparrow's Tale

Chapter Six: Of the Past and Fickel Love

_Disclaimer: We wished we owned Captain Jack Sparrow but we'll just settle for the movies and products with his image instead. DIsney owns it all._

_To our wonderful reviewers and readers thank you for you support this is not worth writing with out you guys...don't forget to review!_

* * *

The sun was high, the weather a bit hotter then normal and on the decks of the _Pearl_ things seems to be very...awkward. 

Well, to be honest, awkward was the understatement of the century. Gibbs stood by the side of the ship, watching on as David stood from his kneeling position on the deck, kicking aside the bucket of water and soap. He turned to the helm to confront Jack. David was now beyond pissed which was another understatement.

"I have done everything you told me to do Sparrow." David announced coldly, his light blue eyes narrowing in great dislike. Jack did not turn from the wheel just waved a vague hand at David.

"Ah yes but it's what I shouldn't be telling you to do that you should be doing. And it's _Captain_ Sparrow. Now get back to work." Jack ordered pointing back down to the deck.

It could be said David would have shot Jack then and there had it not been for Ace, who calmly walked up to David and placed a placating hand on his shoulder.

"David why don't you go and take a break and know that we appreciate the work you do." Ace offered delicately.

"No we don't." Jack retorted and Ace took a deep breath.

"I do this for your mother boy." David said his temper in check. Ace nodded.

"I am sure she will appreciate you not stooping to my father's childish level and for keeping out of trouble." With that Ace let David go and turned to his sister.

Looking at Ace and Amberly, the elder pirate Gibbs saw a look of humor on the young woman's face. Her brother however, glared in her direction (which did nothing to stop the humorous gleam in her smile and eyes) before walking up to the helm where their father stood. Gibbs got a little closer to hear the conversation.

"Will you please concentrate dad. Torturing him for no reason is getting everyone else aggravated." Ace explained irritably rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose hoping relieve the headache pain.

Jack looked sideways at his son, a funny smile on his face. "I enjoy it."

"I'm sure you do father. You enjoy anything that is sure to cause everyone else pain. Can you just stop thinking about how you can cause discomfort and think about the task at hand?" Ace asked coldly, Jack returned his now mirthless gaze to the sea.

Gibbs saw the smile leave Jack's face and as if on cue Amberly rushed up the stairs to defend her father who could care less what is thought about him.

"Ace, leave him alone! He's the Captain anyway, if you want to do things your way mutiny! Then I would beat you at an un-fair fight and throw you in the brig. Which then your wife would become very angry with me and we were getting along so well." Amberly said once again rambling as she does.

By now there was a small crowd around Gibbs, all looking up at the three Sparrows.

"I don't know why you defend him all the time! You think everything he says is true! I mean look at you, hair with beads, eyes with kohl, you drink non stop you are just a copy of him! Yet, you're the one who wrote to me all the terrible things that he did and I warned you what he could be like. I remember a lot more then you do!" Ace accused her and Amberly folded her arms across her chest and stood a little taller.

"I am no copy of father the beads are souvenirs of adventures we have had and I was angry; I say and write things I don't mean when I'm angry." She said and looked at her father who was looking out at sea, seemingly not paying attention to anything or anyone, including his crew.

"At least you have the decency to say you're sorry or try to make up for what you've done. I've never seen one ounce of remorse from him at the things he said and told mum." Ace continued with the morality of their father.

Jack was getting fidgety and Gibbs could see the tension in his dark brown eyes.

"Like what! He never said he wished anyone in our family was dead! He most likely thought that if he did it would come true. Doesn't that show he has some good feelings toward us?" Amberly shot back, at this time Victoria had emerged from the cabin and now joined the on-looking crew. It occurred to her she had never seen her husband that angry before.

"What about when he said '_I wish they were never born_?'" Ace uncharacteristically shouted at his little sister.

* * *

"_When we get to Port Royal we'll leave them with my father. There is no reason for them to know yet." Elizabeth said quietly to Jack who was sitting at the large table that was his desk._

"_No need for you to come along either. I'll just leave all three of you there. I'm sure you can find something to do with your time." Jack said a little sarcastically._

"_No. We need time to think this over. Which one of our children will be going with you and which will be coming with me, after all two innocents should not have to suffer for the sins of the two guilty ones."_

_Jack sighed and looked at his compass before throwing it on the ground as it spun wildly in all directions. Elizabeth picked it up and the motions didn't stop. _

"_I don't care, take them both." Jack answered taking a swig of rum, Elizabeth snapped the compass shut and looked to him._

_The woman sitting across the desk from him was now angry. Elizabeth's face was red and her eyes were wide. "What do you mean you don't care? They are your children too. Don't you want to see them? Watch them grow? Thank God we had two of them. I'm not sure what I would do if it was just Ace."_

"_It would be better if we didn't have any." Jack said his dark and cold eyes now looking at the map he was leaning over._

"_I don't believe you. What happened to you Jack? Has your mind totally changed on all matters of living? You love your kids. You wanted nothing more then to make them happy. Now ever since you've been with Ana-Maria they don't mean anything to you." Elizabeth asked slightly amazed at Jack's lie and still very angry. _

"_She is not the cause for my change of heart, as you so carefully put it." Jack answered, his voice turning cold._

"_Then what is?" Elizabeth asked sighing._

"_You are." Jack put it simply as if telling her it was going to rain._

_Elizabeth was silent for a moment. "I am? What the hell is that supposed to mean? What have I done?"_

"_What you did Elizabeth was turn me into something I never wanted to be. I wish my children were never born. There, happy now? I wish that I could live my life without thinking about other people. I don't care if they're mine. If you want them you take them." Jack yelled slamming his rum bottle on the table and turning away from Elizabeth._

_Tears were falling down Elizabeth's face now. "I don't understand. Ace is your son, you named him after he pulled the card from your sleeve the day he was born, there was nothing in the world that you cared about more. Then when Amberly came she was your little shadow, she followed you everywhere and you never let anyone else hold her when she was tiny, afraid she would break." Elizabeth let the tears fall but she held back from sobbing. The dam had broken and now she was sure there was no going back. "You cried when they were born."_

_Jack looked up at this a scowl on his face. "I did not cry."_

"_Yes you did I saw you! I woke up to find you holding Ace and talking to him. When he opened his eyes to look at you, you cried Jack." Elizabeth said through clenched teeth. _

_Jack looked back to his map. "You're mistaken."_

_Elizabeth then stormed out of the cabin and completely missed her son who was hiding under the helm stairs. _

_There was nothing else said and the little boy named Ace, who had heard his parents conversation, had his heart broken._

* * *

"That is what I heard that night Amberly, father is not the man you think he is." Ace finished his story and no one had moved from their spots. 

"You liar, daddy would never say something like that, right daddy." Amberly turned to her father to see he turned to her with his out his smile and looked into her eyes.

"Of course not, Amberly." Jack answered stoically and that is when she knew he was lying. Whenever her father was stoic it means he is lying or deeply troubled also he never called her Amberly...he always said a pet name for her.

"Oh...oh I see..."Amberly trailed off turning back to her brother she put on a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "Well you know love is a fickle thing."

"I pity you Amberly if that is what you truly believe." Ace spat and pushed past the crew and went to the Cabin his wife followed. Amberly turned back to her father.

"Daddy?" her father turned to her and for a moment she saw something akin to regret in his eyes, but then again, it might have been the light.

"Yes love?"

"Did you mean it when you said it that you did not want us?" She asked leaning against the railing and taking a drink of the rum she had been holding since the argument began. Jack sighed.

"At the time of the argument I meant every word my pirate lass." Jack answered truthfully. Amberly nodded then passed the bottle to the still on looking Gibbs and wiped the kohl from her eyes with her shirt sleeve and then took her pocket knife and cut off a small accent braid that held the souvenir of blue stone. The stone was her favorite story of her father's earlier adventures. He had given the small souvenir to her if she promised never to ask him to tell the story again, she asked for the story anyway and he would tell it to her.

"I won't need this any more and after this father I think we shall be parting ways." Amberly gave him a slight bow and then left vanishing to most likely the galley for something to do. Jack himself held the braid and trinket in his hand. He knew he had truly screwed up and there was no way to fix it.

"Gibbs, take over." Jack ordered then went to go and talk to his son.

* * *

Ace was sitting at his father's desk watching the compass spin in circles then stop in the direction of his mother's supposed location. He snapped the compass with a resounding click and finally looked up to his wife who had been sitting across from him waiting for him to calm down. 

"I meant what I said earlier." Ace answered her unasked question and she rolled her eyes.

"No you did not. I know you well enough Ace you don't hate him." Victoria said picking up the compass and watched as it pointed in Ace's direction then spin around for another desire to find.

"Yes I do he is a vile man he hurt my mother more then anything and that is why I hate him...he is despicable and rude and..."

"A pirate." Victoria finished for him. Ace nodded and Victoria's stood and from behind wrapped her arms around Ace's neck.

"He does love you Ace, fathers are just never good at showing that part of them, don't hate him for it." She sighed into his tawny hair. She always did think he had the most beautiful hair color.

"No it's not that he does not love he just loves the wrong things, rum, ship and countless women that he does not remember." Ace reflectivity answered taking comfort from his wife.

"If that were true boy, ye would not know me unless it was from word of mouth." Jack answered flippantly, strolling into his cabin and taking a seat at the edge of his desk. "Might I have a word alone with ye son."

Ace could tell it was not a question by the glint in his father's dark kohl rimmed eyes it was not a request.

* * *

Jack sat opposite his son and watched as Ace gave a small nod to Victoria who gave him a soft kiss before leaving the cabin. It was odd seeing his son happily married while Jack himself stayed unhappily married all these years a felt a twinge of regret for it. He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. 

The pirate captain couldn't come up with anything to say. He didn't know how to begin to talk to his son, his daughter usually did the conversations for him, now he was at a loss for words . All of his years on the sea and world knowledge and he was never prepared for fatherhood. Thinking back on it when Elizabeth had come to him, a worried expression on her face to tell him she was pregnant with the boy in front of him now, Jack had known what she was going to say before she said a word and felt the color drain from his face. Jack pushed the memory away.

"Well?" Ace inquired rather harshly once they were alone and his father had yet to speak.

The word cut through the silence and Jack looked at his son now, focusing on him rather then the pealing wood behind him.

"I want to tell you a story." Jack started, thinking that if he made his life with Elizabeth and his children like a fictional story it would be easier to tell and maybe get to the point he was trying to make.

"Oh joy, I feel great excitement all ready." Ace responded deadpanned, Ace sat back, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He listened none the less, nodding his head for his father to continue.

"A long while ago, long before you were born, I found myself drifting into the docks of Port Royal by complete chance and I met some homely looking navy men who couldn't swim." He stopped at this point, his brain not wanting to put forth the memories that used to haunt him of why he had even gone to Port Royal in the first place. "We had been chatting about the time I had been made chief of a strange group of people, anyway, a woman had fallen into the bay and it was obvious she was in need of some assistance..."

Ace interrupted his father at this point. "Mum knows how to swim."

Jack retuned his comment with an icy glare he really did hate to be interrupted when he was telling a tale.

"Just listen to the story boy, and don't interrupt unless you want me to start back at the beginning." Jack said and his son grew quiet, crossing his strong arms over his and pouting slightly the way his mother does when she does not get her way. Jack continued ignoring the resurfacing memories threatening to over come him like a wave does the sand.

"Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted be my own flesh and blood, she looked like she was in trouble, so being the good man that I am, don't roll your eyes son, I jumped into the water to save her. When I was able to get her on the deck it was plain to see that the damnable corset women find so fashionable was the enemy. I took it off her and she opened her eyes to look at me." The pirate didn't realize the small smile that was coming to his face. "She had small droplet earrings on, her big brown eyes looked interested, not afraid. It's hard to recall a time your mother was afraid. So, before I could say much to her I had a sword pointed at my throat, owned by your dear old father-in-law."

Ace watched as his father thought about what happened next, a sly smile came to the elders face and a soft one to the son.

"After some very interesting events that involved your mother getting rather close, I made my expert escape and found myself in the shop of a blacksmith. Now there was a boy named William Turner, remember that name because it will be important later. We fought and I won of course, he seemed to have a problem with me _threatening _the fair Miss Swann." Another pause. Jack put up his hand in order to stop the questions he could tell were just aching to be asked from his son.

"Sometime after that I escaped prison and joined forces with this young, inexperienced young man and went to rescue your mother from Captain Barbossa and his cursed crew. She was grateful to me of course and the lovely couple couldn't bare to see me hang. Again, my near death by a short drop and sudden stop authorized by your father in law."

"Wait dad. First, how did you get caught and two, was mum in love with this guy Will? Another thing I think mum would have mentioned this to me before." Ace argued, he had no clue how his father's story was addressing anything that had happened on deck that day, but the details of his father's story were very intriguing and he could help but be taken in.

Jack didn't seem to want to answer either question. "Didn't I tell you not to interrupt?"

Ace nodded and sat back, realizing he had leaned forward to listen to his father's tale.

"_Damn it, I told my self I was not going to believe the tale, he was always good at telling stories" _Ace thought sourly but returned his attention to his father.

"After I had left your mum with Will Tuner, me and the crew had went back to the Isle de Murte but it had sunk into the water, bad luck that. Moving ahead a year or two I had gotten myself in a bit of a spot and required the distractions of William Turner yet again. Now, he had come because Elizabeth had been sentenced to death because she had willingly helped me. He wanted me to help him, luckily there was something in it for me." Jack smiled, his gold teeth all a flash and his eyes sparkled with greedy mirth.

Ace nodded assuredly. "Mum."

"No, no, my boy, he was going to take my place on the Flying Dutchman." Jack said waving off his son's guess and Ace's eyes went comically wide.

"Alright that's enough," Ace said standing up from his seat and moving past his father a little, "I've heard quite enough dad. The Flying Dutchman? The ship of Davy Jones? If you're going to tell a story you can at least make it somewhat believable." Ace said, acidly. His father pointed to the chair and Ace despite being old enough now to ignore his father's unvoiced order, had to follow the captain of the ship, so he sat back down glaring at his father.

"It's the whole truth. Now, as I was saying, your mother had her own ideas and escaped and found me. We went on an adventure of sorts to save her dear William. So in answer to your previous question she was in love with the whelp. At least that's what she claimed. A year or two after that we met again and somehow wound up in a bunk together. I think there was a large amount of rum."

"Please don't tell me that's how I was conceived." Ace said, hoping his parents weren't together simply because of him.

Jack's face looked happy for the first time in a while. "No. You weren't until a year or so later. However, that one night caused Mr. Turner to get a little rash. He commandeered his own ship and headed for the horizon. I haven't heard one thing of him since."

There was silence for a while and Ace wondered what that story had to do with anything.

"Is that all?"

Jack looked perplexed. "Yes."

"What is that supposed to prove father?" Ace asked confused, this was worse then one of his sister's ramblings.

Jack couldn't look his son in the eyes at the next thing he said. "I lov…lov..."Ace pinched the bridge of his nose, he knew what his father was trying to say.

"You loved..." Ace answered for his father and Jack snapped his fingers and pointed at his son.

"Yes that's the word, your mother. You and Amberly too. Still do as a matter of fact." The father mimicked his son's earlier actions, Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his own nose. "There were many times when I thought I would wake up and you would all be gone. It was a stupid thing. Until all I had left was your sister, now because of my own stupidity I don't even have her."

Ace didn't feel any pity towards his father, it was a word he never wanted to use even near the context of describing his father yet this honest answer from his father prompted his next question that he did not consider the consequences of asking it. "And that thought of truly losing all of us, doesn't that make you want to change?"

"Wanting to is one thing Ace," Jack said tiredly his words seem to strain to Ace. "Being able to is another."

* * *

Miles away, back at Port Royal, Admiral James Norrington despite having a stern look about his fine features was happy and was currently overseeing the readying of his ships to go look for his daughter and her husband. 

If truth be told he was more then happy, he was ecstatic. The reason for his elevated mood was that his prediction regarding that Ace Sparrow had come to pass, the young Sparrow had broken his promise to stay on the island with his daughter once they were married, not to mention to keep her away from anything to do with pirates.

If one thing was for certain the Sparrow bloodline could not ignore the call of the sea for long. He breathed in the deep sea air from the deck waiting as the last of the previsions were loaded on board. He promised to himself that when he did find them, Sparrow would go straight to the gallows no matter if his daughter hated him. It would be for her own good and she would know that someday. Now all he had to do was find a fine man to remarry her to. A smile graced his lips before he ordered to set sail in the direction the _Black Pearl _was last seen.


End file.
